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Yesterday’s campaign disclosure forms, which cover Aug. 1 to Oct. 10, reveal one big thing about the mayor’s race: Business favorite Jack Evans is raising more than anyone else, but he’s also spending it faster than his opponents.
Jack Evans
Raised: $391,935.49. Spent: $198,769.44. Cash on hand: $497,606.89
Evans’ donors include outgoing Politico CEO Fred Ryan ($1,000), Yes! Organic Market ($2,000), developer and ex-Councilmember H.R. Crawford ($300), chic Mark Barnes-owned downtown nightclub Park at 14th ($2,000), political strategist Mark Penn ($2,000), and a bundled $5,000 from people associated with Bernstein Management Corporation. Evans must be a great coworker—-his fellow Patton Boggs employees kicked in $9,750 in donations.
Evans’ fundraising advantage would be more impressive if he wasn’t also racking up big-time expenses. Evans paid $20,597.32 in rental and utilities payments on his 14th Street office, and $3,500 for the services of campaign field organizer Scott Bishop.
Muriel Bowser
Raised: $228,256. Spent: $52,631.28. Cash on hand: $597,684.36.
Despite max donations from several developers, Bowser lagged behind Evans in fundraising. Still, her campaign’s comparatively thriftier ways meant that she emerged from the cycle with a $100,000 advantage over her Ward 2 rival. Among Bowser’s donors: developer Chris Donatelli ($2,000), former Washington Pigskins defensive back Darryl Pounds ($2,000), California venture capitalist/TED talker Gary Lauder ($2,000), and Mad Momos owner Wanchuck Topden ($2,000).
Tommy Wells
Raised: $103,406.93. Spent: $107,160.86. Cash on hand: $137,315.
Wells, who eschews corporate contributions, came in third in fundraising, only a little more than $10,000 above Reta Lewis. Donors to Wells included Top Chefster Spike Mendelsohn, who owns restaurants in Ward 6 ($1,500), Ben’s Chili Bowl co-owner Nizam Ben Ali ($100), nightclub impresario Joe Englert ($500), and Capitol Skyline owner Mera Rubell ($2,000). 2008 at-large candidate and Vince Gray BFF Adam Clampitt gave Wells $500.
Wells’ campaign paid pollster Celinda Lake ($15,508 this reporting period) and fundraiser Nina Liggett ($7,540.26). Some of Wells’ expenses were less helpful to the campaign—-Wells refunded donations from people associated with Options Public Charter School, costing him $2,620.
Reta Lewis
Raised: $92,554.01. Spent: $76,474.07. Cash on hand: $78,818.81.
Clintonite-turned-mayoral hopeful Lewis raised $92,554.01, including $500 from former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young and $500 from Democratic Leadership Council founder Al From.
Christian Carter
Raised: $1,879.09. Spent: $2,189.59. Cash on hand: -$305.98.
The hapless campaign of city contractor Christian Carter soldiers on.
Photo by Darrow Montgomery